Cedar-of-Lebanon

Mummification in a war zone

The cedar of Lebanon originates from the mountains of Lebanon, Syria and southeast Turkey. Its wood has been used by man since 1000 years B.C. in the construction of temples, palaces and ships, and was an important export product for the Phoenicians. The ancient Egyptians used sawdust and resin derived from the cedar of Lebanon in the mummification of their dead.

The Bible relates a story of King Solomon building a temple out of cedar in Jerusalem (1 Kings 5). Over the course of history cedar of Lebanon forests have been widely exploited by the Assyrians, Romans and Ottomans. On the slopes of Mount Lebanon, which has been plagued by wars over the centuries, a small number of ancient trees still survive. During World War I, the Turks used the wood to stoke the fires of their steam locomotives.

This legendary tree is the national symbol of Lebanon and is depicted on their flag. The Cedar of Lebanon was an important export product for the Phoenicians, Assyrians, Romans and Ottomans. The wood was used in construction of temples (such as the Temple of Solomon circa 1000 BC), palaces and ships. Large-scale deforestation occurred during WW1 as the Turks used the wood to stoke their locomotives. This cedar was introduced to West Europe in 1638. In England this majestic tree became popular in landscaped gardens during the 18th and 19th century.

There are many growing today in parks, gardens and graveyards. The Cedar of Lebanon can attain heights of up to 40 m and ages of several thousand years. The oldest trees can be recognised by their tabletop shaped crowns. The trunk is often forked or branched near the base. The cones are borne straight up on short shoots, the female cones are twice as big (8-12 cm) as the male cones.

Ecology and habitat

The Cedar of Lebanon grows on well drained, calcareous soils in the mountains of Turkey (Taurus mountains and near the Black Sea), Syria and Lebanon. It grows mainly on north and west facing slopes between 1300 and 3000 m; in Turkey it grows above 500 m. The tree requires a climate with cool, damp winters with snow at altitude, and usually grows in mixed (coniferous) forests.

Threats

The remaining natural population of this otherwise decimated species are now often protected but still under pressure. Threats lie in grazing (goats), urbanisation, logging and tree diseases, and in Lebanon from winter sports. The largest populations can be found in the Taurus mountains of Turkey where new trees are being planted. In Lebanon and especially in Syria the populations are small and fragmented.